5 Magic tips that will rid you of that killer hangover

I know you still haven't forgotten how you felt just a few days ago, on January 1. You were lying in bed, your head throbbing, basically feeling like death. Let's face it: You drank a bit too much that night and a day later, you paid for it. You suffered through tha dreaded hangover. Oops. It's okay, we all make mistakes!

You want to get rid of the hangover fast, so you can get back to your life, a life that's hopefully based around healthy habits. But you can't get back to that life as long as you're still stuck sobbing in the fetal position. You need a little kick-start to get back on your feet.

Well, you can use these tips to help get rid of your hangover--so you can have a productive, healthier year--even if you make this mistake again!

1. Rehydrate yourself. A lot of the negative effects of alcohol actually come from dehydration. Alcohol is a strong diuretic. When your body flushes it out of your system, it uses up a lot of its water. And without the right amount of water in our cells, we can't function properly. That's why we get the headache and the dry mouth. You should be drinking water through the night, between alcoholic drinks to help prevent the hangover. But if the damage is already done, rehydrating will allow you to get over the hangover much quicker.

2. Remineralize. When your body flushes the alcohol out of your system, it isn't just water it loses. You also lose a lot of important minerals. They're used to neutralize the alcohol on the way out. But once they're depleted, they can cause you to feel sick. So you need to get those minerals back in. This explains why people all have different "cures" they swear by: pickle juice, orange juice, chicken soup, canned fish. All these foods are rich in minerals your body needs. So by loading up on them, you can start feeling better.

3. Work up a sweat. Most of us just rely on our kidneys to filter out our alcohol. We drink… then go to the bathroom… again and again. But our skin is also an important elimination channel we can use to get the toxins out. That's why, if you feel up to it, a great way to get rid of a hangover is to work up a sweat. You don't have to go too crazy here. But a jog, or some time on the stationary bike, can really work wonders in help getting the toxins out.

4. Wash it off. If you don't feel like exercising, you can also boost your circulation by taking contrast showers. This means you hop in the shower and set the water as hot as you can and stay under it for 30 seconds. Then, you switch the water to as cold as you can handle for 30 seconds. Then, repeat the process over and over for a few minutes. They gets your circulation going and opens up your pores, so all the bad stuff can come out easier.

5. Sleep it off. When all else fails, you just have to sleep it off. Alcohol is very stressful to the body and sometimes, you have to just give your body time to recover. So rest up until you feel better… then use the experience as a reminder to not overdo it next time you drink.

Keep these tips in mind next time you go a little overboard on that wine! And if you know anyone who can use these tips, please share this article with them. They'll certainly thank you in the morning!